An Article For Those Worried About The State Of The Star Wars Toy Line

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An Article For Those Worried About The State Of The Star Wars Toy Line

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2002--Lucas Licensing Ltd. today announced that after a summer of fierce competition at the box office and on retail shelves, Star Wars toys have emerged as the top-selling licensed toys of the year according to NPD Funworld, the research organization recognized as the leading source of toy industry data. Through August, Star Wars holds the #1 license position, ahead of all other toy licenses, including formidable competitors such as Spiderman, Harry Potter and Power Rangers. Within their key product categories, Star Wars toys have sold more than double the volume of their next closest competitors.

Star Wars action figures and accessories from Hasbro account for the largest share, followed by building sets from LEGO. According to NPD Funworld, Star Wars also dominates all assortments/items introduced in 2002, holding four of the top five slots. Hasbro's Episode II basic action figure assortment captures the #1 spot and has outsold the nearest competitive items by a margin of over 2 to 1. Deluxe electronic lightsabers from Hasbro rank #2 on the list and are selling so well that total lightsaber sales this year will be more than double the volume of lightsabers sold in 1999, the year that Episode I was released. LEGO Star Wars sets also dominate the building-set category, capturing seven of the top-ten licensed bestseller spots for the year to date through August.

All of this has led to Star Wars being one of the most successful boys' toy brands of all time, reaching an estimated $8 billion in retail sales since its introduction in 1977.

The momentum will continue this fall with the much-anticipated release of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones in IMAX theatres on November 1st and on home video on November 12th.

In addition, several new and exciting Star Wars toys will be introduced for the holiday season. Hasbro brings R2-D2 to life for Star Wars fans of all ages with a 15-inch interactive toy. The new Artoo recognizes 40 phrases, plays five games, sings tunes and is packed with all the spunk and charm that makes this loveable droid so magical. A new, interactive Jedi Training Lightsaber lets Star Wars fans hone their lightsaber skills by following the guidance of Jedi Master Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. This 36-inch lightsaber can be personalized with your own secret code, has an awesome light-up blade and cool battle sound effects. Fans can also now recreate the epic end-battle scene from Episode II with the Geonosian Battle Arena playset and the Republic Gunship. These new items are perfect gifts for any Star Wars fan!

Lucas Licensing Ltd. manages all the domestic and international merchandising activities of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones properties. Star Wars is the most successful film-based merchandising program in history. The Star Wars licensing program is renowned for its attention to product detail and quality in the fields of publishing, toys, games, collectibles, apparel and home furnishings.

Good to see its numero uno. I'm surprised that Lightsabers are #2 on the list behind Basic Figures. I didn't think they were selling that good. Other than that, I don't think there was a big competitive market for Star Wars toys. At least nothing that sold to children as well as collectors (although I still think collectors account for the majority of the sales.)

Yeah, hopefully this will put to rest alot of the worry about the toy line. Especially the gloom and doom stuff about how the line isn't selling, is dieing on the shelves, stores are loosing faith, etc. etc. etc. Sounds like they are doing pretty good, according to the press release. While the majority of the collector's are likely adults, I think there is a pretty big kid market. Especially with such impressive numbers behind the lightsaber toys.

Well said Jar Jar, everybody in here complains so much about the line yet I think you have to take a step back and look at actually how awesome it is. I think Hasbro for the most part has released great figures this year and from what I hear coming next year should be good to.

And also the "clogging of shelves" theory, wait until the DVD is released and the Xmas rush arrives, you won't see any clogging trust me (except Jar Jar, sorry Jar Jar!!!). And maybe if you don't check the shelves every single day it won't seem so bad either.

Hmm, well I guess that does kind of put to rest some fears of the line dying within a year. Thanks for the update, Jar Jar.

I've been looking at some of the figures released this year and realized that sculpting has never been this consistently high quality (it's too bad some of the action features ruin that) and the prices are lower than they have been since 1995. Sure some of the gimmicks are annoying and the action poses tend to limit playability, but compared to the garbage being shoveled out in the early POTF2 days, I'd take the Saga line anyday.

"To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence… When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." - C.S. Lewis

The Lightsabers being number 2 doesn't surprise me, actually it surprises me it isn't number 1. The lightsabers around here (The generic Hasbro ones that hang on pegs, not the boxed ones) sell out within days of shipments, and they are always getting shipments in. The Red ones and Purple ones sell like hotcakes. I understand too, being they are inexpensive and pretty damn cool.

Originally posted by JarJarBinks Yeah, hopefully this will put to rest alot of the worry about the toy line. Especially the gloom and doom stuff about how the line isn't selling, is dieing on the shelves, stores are loosing faith, etc. etc. etc. Sounds like they are doing pretty good, according to the press release. While the majority of the collector's are likely adults, I think there is a pretty big kid market. Especially with such impressive numbers behind the lightsaber toys.

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

I don't know JJB, I went to a mall last night (it was packed) and I only saw one Obi and one padme running around for candy. Although that might not mean crap, but I think the toys are bought by people ranging in ages of 15-30. That's just me.

So what? The amount of kids trick or treating dressed in Star Wars costumes has no connection to how many kids like Star Wars toys. Besides, if they would have gotten a Yoda costume out in time for this year, I don't doubt that there would have been a hoard of lil Yoda demons running around for candy.

I don't think that counting the number of kids dressed as Star Wars characters for Halloween is any kind of indicator of how popular Star Wars is. When I was a kid, we wouldn't participate in trick-or-treating but would hand out candy to the other kids, and for 6 Halloweens straight (1981-86) I think we saw a grand total of one Star Wars costume out of all the trick-or-treaters that came to our door. One in six years! During the high point of Star Wars popularity! So, no, I don't think counting Halloween costumes is relevant in any way.

I would just like to see one really high quality Indiana Jones 12" figure. I personally wouldn't be interested in yet another toyline. If Lucasfilm were to give the liscense to Sideshow or bbi, that would be awesome.

"To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence… When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." - C.S. Lewis